Transmaterial » paper

Washi Laminated Glass

Blaine Brownell — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 14:00:52 +0000

Washi laminated glass panel is a combination of two glass sheets with handmade Japanese washi parchment and one interlayer of plastic (PVB). The hybrid material is used for both security and decorative applications, and demonstrates the marriage of a five hundred year old handcraft-based tradition with modern technology.

Contact: Precious Pieces, New York, NY, USA.
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Pulp-Based Computing

Blaine Brownell — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 16:00:03 +0000

Pulp-Based Computing is a fabrication technique for creating paper composites, which can function as sensors, actuators and circuit boards while retaining the physical and aesthetic qualities of paper.

Papermaking allows for an inclusion process, where a physical object can be permanently embedded in between two individual paper sheets which are then compressed, drained and set to dry. By silk screening and encapsulating electrically active inks, conductive threads, and smart materials in between sheets, it is possible to create an electronic paper “sandwich” that is resilient and inseparable from its embedded object. This process allows for the fabrication of paper speakers, emissive displays, as well as bend-and-touch sensors.

While electronic paper technologies usually overlook the material qualities that are at the core of paper’s versatility, Pulp-Based Computing produces electronic paper composites that can be folded, shredded, recycled, stapled and written on while preserving the electrical reliability and resilience of traditional electronic components.

Contact: Marcelo Coelho/MIT Media Lab, Cambridge, MA, USA.
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Richlite

Blaine Brownell — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 13:00:03 +0000

Richlite panels are extremely dense, strong, and stable and are made of layered craft paper (or abacca fibers in the case of Richlite Hemp). The material was originally developed for the aerospace industry as tooling, the marine industry as fiberglass reinforcement, and most recently the action sports industry for outdoor skate ramp surfaces.

Richlite resists scratching, staining, and heat damage and will not harbor bacteria or pests. Richlite’s color is integral throughout the material, and its natural appearance develops a deep patina over time and with use.

Inherent strength and stability makes Richlite a popular choice in finishes for architectural use. Extreme cantilevers and long spans can be created without the requirement of designing extra support. Thermal contraction and expansion is minimal, and therefore need not be a design consideration.

Made with the most environmentally benign production methods and materials currently available, the paper or abacca fiber used for Richlite comes from certified or renewable resources, respectively, and the resin is harvested locally. During the saturation and drying process, over ninety-nine percent of the volatile organic compounds are incinerated. The heat from this incineration process is used for the drying process to optimize energy use and minimize thermal pollution. There is no hazardous waste generated in the process.

Contact: Rainier Richlite Corporation, Tacoma, WA, USA.
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3D Wallpaper

Blaine Brownell — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 14:00:44 +0000

London-based Tracy Kendall has liberated wallpaper from flatland. Her handcrafted, handsewn fabrications consist of cut and layered papers, polyester thread, and applied sequins. The result is walls that seem to breathe, dance, and crackle, thus stimulating the senses. Tracy Kendall has developed at least three types of wallpaper: In the White Room, Cut, and Sequin.

In the White Room is designed to add depth and texture to a wall and is made of paper and thread; Cut is a handcut wallpaper, which can be used either on its own or with a patterned or colored paper beneath it to reveal the cut sections; and Sequin comes alive when lit, as the sequins project their own patterns onto other walls and surfaces.

Contact: Tracy Kendall, London, UK.
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PINnacle

Blaine Brownell — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 13:00:23 +0000

PINnacle is a recycled-paper panel supplied with a velvetlike sanded surface for a more elegant appearance than conventional tackboards. Both PINnacle 440 and Class A fire-rated PINnacle NCFR panels may be used wall covering. The panels are easy to maintain, and their uniform thickness makes them a good substrate for fabric wrapping.

Contact: Homasote, West Trenton, NJ, USA.
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Papton

Blaine Brownell — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 15:28:12 +0000

Papton is a lightweight chair that emerges like origami from a folded composite panel. For their design of the chair, Fuchs + Funke sought to obtain maximum stability with minimum weight as well as unlimited functionality and sculptural form. The chair is therefore the result of a simple polygonal pattern, which conveys a clear, monoplanar quality.

Papton’s structure is based on subdividing panels into load-bearing areas and bending zones, and the partial removal of the top layer on one side allows for controlled folding. Low weight and volume ensure a dense package of unfolded chairs (up to eighty chairs fit on a standard Euro pallet).

Contact: Fuchs + Funke, Berlin, Germany.
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V2

Blaine Brownell — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 13:00:12 +0000

V2 tiles are 3D, reconfigurable, inexpensive wallpaper tiles that allow one to customize the feel, look, and acoustic properties of any environment in minutes. V2 wallpaper is made from one hundred percent pre- and post-consumer waste paper that is molded in a thermoforming process. Production of the tiles takes place in a closed loop manufacturing environment where paper and water are continually cycled through the process, virtually eliminating waste. The tiles are also completely recyclable at the end of their useful life.

Different patterns may be achieved by rotating the tiles, allowing users to have unique patterned wallpaper in wall and ceiling areas. The tiles can be installed temporarily with double stick tape, thumb tacks, staples, nails, etc. or permanently with water-based wallpaper pastes. The product can be painted or finished in a variety of ways, including standard paints, magic markers, and bio-benign varnishes. In addition, the tiles may be easily cut to fit light switches and other fixtures with scissors or a utility knife.

Contact: Mio, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
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YUM!

Blaine Brownell — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 16:17:38 +0000

Developed by Alex Schweder and Dieter Janssen and manufactured by the Stinehour Press, YUM! is a scratch-and-sniff wallpaper that smells faintly of fresh bread. The artists developed the wallpaper for a gallery installation, seeking to explore the relationship between color and scent with the goal of creating a “succulent” space. Alex and Dieter designed three sheets with the same striped pattern but with different ratios of scented scratch-and sniff varnishes and colored inks. The resulting effect is the creation of a space with varying degrees of visual and olfactory intensity based on one’s proximity to the different sheets.

Contact: Alex Schweder, Seattle, USA.
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Paper Softwall

Blaine Brownell — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 19:07:57 +0000

The Paper Softwall is a lightweight freestanding wall that can be arranged into almost any shape or easily compressed into a compact sheaf and stored away. Softwall dampens sound and can both absorb and transmit light. The product is made from four hundred layers of honeycombed translucent white, fire-retardant paper, bounded by natural wool felt ends. The thick felt ends fold to create handles when the wall is open, and form a casing when the wall is compressed.

The Paper Softwall is modular, as the felt ends haveVelcro fasteners, which can link walls together. Although paper is delicate, the Paper Softwall’s honeycomb design makes it surprisingly resilient to normal handling.

Contact: Molo, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
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Squak Mountain Stone

Blaine Brownell — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 12:10:01 +0000

Squak Mountain Stone is a paper and cement-based composite developed by Ameé Quiriconi as a solution for reusing waste paper. Its proprietary composition makes Squak Mountain Stone lighter than concrete and stone, and it eliminates the need for rebar or other reinforcing steel. The result is a product that is relatively easy to ship, handle, and install.

Visually, Squak Mountain Stone appears to have the depth and characteristics of natural stone. Veins of mineral deposits can be seen meandering through the material, while the texture looks as if it’s created by metamorphic processes rather than by man-made means. Squak Mountain Stone is also offered in many different colors.

“Selecting materials is an emotional action. We want the products to not only match our values of environmental and social responsibility but also be beautiful and cost effective” says Quiriconi. “When I watch people slowly stroke the tops of our slabs, I know we’ve been able to capture it all in Squak Mountain Stone.”

Contact: Tiger Mountain Innovations, Inc., Woodinville, WA, USA.
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